Traditional sales promotions such as discounting of prices may be utilized for virtual items to boost short-term profits associated with the virtual items. However, while traditional sales promotions may have the effect of boosting short-term profits, such promotions may have lingering long-term effects relating to profitability from the virtual items or perceived values of the virtual items by users. For example, discounting virtual item prices generally provides a temporary spike in sales, and then causes a longer period of decreased sales once the regular virtual item prices are restored. Thus, among other issues, the negative effects of direct discounting of virtual item prices may outweigh short-term gains.